Letter 87

Synopsis of Letter 87

Celie is unhappy with her aging body and loss of loving relationships, doubting that she will ever find love or happiness again. In her loss she bonds with Albert, who also grieves and now treats her, and his environment, with appreciation. He protects her from unwanted male advances and they share past memories.

Sofia is continually visited by the Mayor’s daughter, Eleanor Jane, whom she brought up (making Henrietta jealous). Whilst acknowledging that she feels kindly to her former charge, Sofia says she cannot love other whites, such as Eleanor Jane’s husband (Stanley Earl) and baby (Reynolds Stanley Earl), after years of suffering in the Mayor’s household. Eleanor Jane leaves, hurt and bewildered, and Sofia too feels sad, but stands by what she has said.

Shug and Germaine are touring the country and, after seeing Mary Agnes and Grady in Panama, don’t return as promised but visit Shug’s birth children, whom Shug’s late parents brought up. Only one (James) agrees to see her. His situation on a Native American reserve reflects that of Nettie and Samuel with the Olinka.

Shug’s regular letters describe her travels, leaving Celie feeling lonely and longing for Shug’s return, even if accompanied by Germaine. She finds relief in talking of her lover to Albert, who describes how his passion for Shug meant he ill-treated his first wife (Annie Julia) and Celie.

Celie and Albert also talk about trousers (pants), which are symbolic of freedom and power in America, and how African men wear robes and also sew. When he reveals that he liked sewing when he was a boy, Celie invites Albert to sew with her and teaches him.

Celie relays the Olinka version of the Creation story, whereby Adam was not the first man, but the first white man who survived, since previous black people had killed any white (albino) offspring. To the Olinka, whiteness meant nakedness, which entailed banishment – in return whites regarded blacks as the snake that they would like to crush to death. However, white aggression will mean that, in time, they become the ‘snake’ others desire to kill.

The letter ends with Albert telling Celie she is good company and Celie confessing to Nettie that Albert is beginning to be someone she can talk to.

Commentary on Letter 87

Letter 87 is the longest letter Celie has written to Nettie, refusing to give up hope that her sister is still alive. Many topics are addressed and characters’ relationships developed.

Eleanor Jane and Sofia

The story of the relationship between Eleanor Jane and Sofia is typical of what often happened in the American South between black nannies and the white children they helped to raise. Whilst kindly, it illustrates how firm are the barriers of race. Although Eleanor Jane’s affection for her old nanny means she wants an equal friendship, Sofia understands very well that when Reynolds grows up he will be what she describes as one of ‘them’, that is a racist white man. Eleanor Jane leaves the house in tears, not understanding why she cannot break a racial barrier which has existed for so long. The description of Stanley Earl would seem to indicate that Sofia’s prediction will be accurate - Walker describes him as having bright blue eyes that hardly blink, very short hair and a patronising attitude.

Redressing the previous balance of power, Walker foregrounds Sofia’s forthright honesty and her courage in speaking as an equal to a white woman, compared to the vulnerability of Eleanor Jane. The last time that Sofia spoke so bluntly to a white woman resulted in twelve years of humility and servitude. However, compared to the past, this incident is lightened by the descriptions of how the baby crawls about oblivious to the colour of anyone’s skin. Walker may intend him to symbolise a future where some reconciliation between black and white people might be possible.

Shug

Contained within this letter to Nettie is the substance of the correspondence that Shug has sent to Celie while she is travelling with Germaine. Shug has been to visit her own children, two of whom reject her advances, in response to her discarding of them in favour of her career. Discussing her, Albert and Celie reveal their appreciation of her strength of character (even though both have been hurt by it), her style, her sensuality and independence of expression, despite the suffering she has obviously endured.

Their shared understanding of each other’s love for Shug strengthens the friendship which has begun to develop since Celie returned from Memphis.

Varieties of love

Albert recognises that sexuality and its expression varies from person to person and regardless of sexual preference or social disapproval, the love which exists between heterosexual and homosexual people is essentially the same. This is one of the most serious moral points that Walker makes in this narrative. Interestingly:

Celie does not identify herself as a lesbian here, but explains her rejection of men by discussing the previous cruel and abusive treatment she has received from them

Sofia and Harpo do not acknowledge Celie’s sexual relationship with Shug, but instead try to set her up with various eligible (or otherwise) male partners.

Some critics argue that the reconciliation between Albert and Celie is contrived and unconvincing, as is the rather clumsy juxtaposition of male and female qualities as Albert confesses that he enjoyed sewing as a young man, but again Walker is merely using recognisable authorial techniques as the novel moves towards its conclusion.

‘Colonial’ exclusion

Walker presents the reader with a comparison between the efforts of Shug’s son, James, to teach the Native American Indians and Nettie and Samuel’s activities in Africa. Despite trying to be integrated into the communities they serve, their well-meaning initiatives are dismissed. Though racially black, and subject to discrimination themselves, ironically they are regarded as ‘white’ in trying to import non-native values (for example, about the worth of academic education) and are therefore ultimately rejected.

The Creation narrative

Celie’s retelling of the African story of the first man, which she has learned from Nettie (although this has not been a subject of any letter that Nettie has written so far in the narrative), is interesting in its discussion of the origin of men and of differences of colour and the bloodshed that this has led to. It develops the biblical narrative (see http://crossref-it.info/articles/24/garden-of-eden-adam-and-eve-second-adam?p=1&q_repository=; http://crossref-it.info/textguide/hamlet/1/64; Genesis 2:4-8; Genesis 2:15-25; Genesis 3:1-24) by seeing the serpent as symbolic of human oppression, rejection and aggression. Ironically, they end up honouring the snake for its achievements, a total inversion of the biblical allegory where the snake represents evil and must be shunned.

The moral seems to be that unless everyone accepts everyone else in the world as a child of God, no matter how they look or act, then conflict and bloodshed caused by racial difference will be a constant source of fear and division in the world. In recounting the African version of the origin of mankind, Alice Walker draws a comparison between conventional white patriarchalChristian teaching and African mythology. As the novel draws to a close, the significance of this part of Celie’s letter will become apparent with her acceptance of Tashi and Adam when they return home, both with tribal scars on their faces.

Investigating Letter 87

This is a long and complex letter which you should investigate in sections. What do you learn about:

Celie’s reasons for not hating Albert?

The relationship between black nannies and their white charges (and the consequences)?

Shug’s relationship with her children?

Albert and Celie’s views on marriage?

African and American attitudes to the idea of creation and God?

English Standard Version

King James Version

1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.2And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.3So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.4These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.5When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up - for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground,6and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground - 7then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.8And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.9And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.10A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers.11The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.12And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there.13The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush.14And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.15The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.16And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.18Then the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.19Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.20The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.21So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.22And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.23Then the man said, This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.24Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.25And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.4These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,5And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.6But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.8And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.9And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.10And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.11The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;12And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.13And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.14And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.15And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.18And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.19And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.20And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.21And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;22And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

English Standard Version

King James Version

1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.2And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.3So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.4These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.5When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up - for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground,6and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground - 7then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.8And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.9And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.10A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers.11The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.12And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there.13The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush.14And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.15The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.16And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.18Then the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.19Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.20The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.21So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.22And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.23Then the man said, This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.24Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.25And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.4These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,5And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.6But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.7And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.8And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.9And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.10And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.11The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;12And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.13And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.14And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.15And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.16And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.18And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.19And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.20And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.21And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;22And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

English Standard Version

King James Version

1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, Did God actually say, You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?2And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,3but God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.4But the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die.5For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.7Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.8And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.9But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, Where are you?10And he said, I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.11He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?12The man said, The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.13Then the Lord God said to the woman, What is this that you have done? The woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate.14The Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.15I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.16To the woman he said, I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.17And to Adam he said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, You shall not eat of it, cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;18thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.19By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.20The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.21And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.22Then the Lord God said, Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever - 23therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.24He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

1Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?2And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.7And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.13And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.14And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.16Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;18Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.20And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.21Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

In the Bible, 'creation' can mean both the process by which the universe was made by God and the created order which emerged.

According to Genesis (the first book of the Old Testament), Adam is the first human being, made in the image / likeness of God, placed in the Garden of Eden and given dominion over the earth.

Sometimes called a serpent. In some religions and mythologies seen as the embodiment of deceit, cunning and evil, and associated with Satan.

A snake. In some religions and mythologies seen as the embodiment of deceit, cunning and evil, and associated with Satan.

A non-realistic genre of literature whereby characters or episodes systematically represent a certain belief system. Interpretation of allegory can involve two or more levels of meaning.

The Bible describes God as the unique supreme being, creator and ruler of the universe.

subject to the rule of a patriarch or father

Name originally given to disciples of Jesus by outsiders and gradually adopted by the Early Church.